


A/B/G/O: A Proposal

by HallowedHeart



Series: A/B/Overwatch [2]
Category: No Fandom, omegaverse - Fandom
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Gen, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-06
Updated: 2016-10-06
Packaged: 2018-08-19 22:08:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8226293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HallowedHeart/pseuds/HallowedHeart
Summary: An idea on how to rework the A/B/O/G mechanic.





	

**Author's Note:**

> The proposed mechanic is how I will be writing all of my A/B/O/G fiction, and this retroactively includes fic I have written before posting this proposal.

The current A/B/O/G kink/trope could use a massive facelift. It no longer is purview of just the Supernatural fandom and has a pocket of interest in nearly every major and sizeable fandom, and has generally stagnated into a plateau. The overall A/O dynamic that, frankly, fetishizes male homosexuality with an uncomfortable dosing of misogynistic uke/seme tropes, and the extreme emotional labor demanded of Betas is part of why I have a huge problem with the kink/trope and believe the overall mechanic needs to be rewritten with more of a reflection of contemporary sexuality spectrums in mind.

In the original writing, Alphas and Omegas (with Betas and Gammas sometimes or often completely cut out of the fiction) are the two types that experience the ruts, heats, and perform and are receptive to scenting. In fiction where they occur, Betas function as “normal” humans who do not experience ruts, heats, or forms of scenting instincts. Gammas, a rarer example, also do not experience rut/heat/scenting. The following is how I believe these four types should be addressed in this new canon.

Proposal: A/B/O/G are a spectrum and Betas can fall anywhere between expressing more Alpha or Omega traits. Betas in the old trope mechanic don’t have a place in the universe as they’re not functionally part of the A/O dynamic, making them and Gamma the same functional component. With Gammas maintaining the typical verse function that Betas did by completely lacking the ability to scent or detect scent and establishing Betas on a sliding spectrum of A/O, it balances the roles while opening up a wider range of relationships within the A/B/O/G verse.

EX: A Beta with a stronger Alpha hormone balance would be typed as Beta-A and experience ruts/needs to sexually dominate, but not necessarily completely expressing the knot or female phallus of more Alpha expressing individuals. However this is not a hard and fast rule just as human bodies (including genitals), gender, and sexuality can vary widely in expression, and this would extend to A/B/O/G individuals as well.

Human biology is subject to hormone balances and medical science has become adept at altering that hormone balance for a desired outcome. Hormone birth control and HRT (hormone replacement therapy) are among two common examples of how hormones are altered to produce an effect that alters body chemistry. With the well established trope of the existing ability to suppress ruts/heats, it would hardly be beyond possibility to alter the type of an individual medically through hormone and surgical treatment to treat type dysphoria.


End file.
